Loose gem merchandising display device



Aug. 12, 1958 v e. c. NEUGEBAUER LOOSE GEM MERCHANDISING DISPLAY nzvrca Filed April 4, 1956 /5 INVENTOR GER/MRO? 6. NEUGEBAUER ATTORNEY 2,847,121 LOOSE GEM MERCHANDISI'NG DISPLAY DEVICE Gerhardt C. N eugebauer, Sturgis, S. Dali. Application April 4, 1956, Serial No. 576,078 3 Claims. (Cl. 20680) This invention consists in new and useful improvements in a loose gem merchandising display device and relates more particularly to a display device for use in connection with gem display trays such as are ordinarily found in jewelry stores and the like.

In the merchandising of loose stones or unset gems, these items are rarely on display for ready visibility, for the simple reason that being unmounted, they are easily misplaced and diifcult to handle. For many years it has been customary to individually wrap the loose gems in folds of suitable paper marked with indicia for identifying the gem and indicating its price and when displaying them to a prospective customer, it has been necessary to unfold the paper as each gem is displayed, using the fingers or conventionaltweezers or the like in handling the gem. This is not only a time-consuming and troublesome practice but there is always the danger of dropping and misplacing the gem.

It is the primary object of the present invention to provide a loose gem merchandising display device comprising a gem supporting clip adapted to be attached to a pillow-like bed or foundation, formed of a material selected as most suitable for the attractive and esthetic display of the particular gem involved.

Another object of the invention is to provide a loose gem display device of this character wherein the gem supporting clip is fixed at its base upon a suitable background member with the gem supporting arms thereof freely overlying the background so that by proper manipulation the entire gem may be freely viewed from various angles.

A further object is to provide a loose gem display device including a gem supporting clip which is firmly mounted at one end on a flexible background member with the gem embracingtend freely overlying the background member so that by bending the latter downwardly nited States Patent away from the supported gem, the gem can be held over various settings in making a selection.

A still further object is to provide a gem display device such as above referred to wherein the face of the gem clip may be formed in various ornamental configurations to increase the eye appeal of the display.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a loose gem display device including a pillow-like supporting background to which is attached a gem retaining clip and a gem identification and price tag, arranged to form a unitary structure for the convenient and safe display of loose gems in a manner having a maximum of eye appeal.

A Still further object of the invention is to provide a loose gem display device of this character including a gem supporting clip having a fixed base and resilient arms, the free ends of which are formed to accommodate the bezels of various cut gems.

With the above and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists in the novel features herein set forth, illustrated in ice the accompanying drawings and more pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings in which numerals of like character designate similar parts throughout the several views,

Figure 1 is a top plan view of one form of my improved gem display device.

Figure 2 is a sectional view, taken on line 2-2 of Figure 1, through the pillow-like support or background.

Figure 3 is an enlarged plan View of the gem clip per se.

Figure 4 is a view of the. same, in side elevation.

Figure 5 is a plan view of a modified form of gem clip arm.

Figure 6 is a view of the latter, in side elevation, and

Figure 7 is a further modification showing one of the various configurations possible in forming the base member of the clip.

In the drawings, 19 represents a pillow-like bed or supporting background which may take any preferred form in plan profile and iscomposed of a preferably flexible material, selected as the most suitable background for displaying a particular gem. In the form shown in the drawings, the bed 10 resembles a small cushion of rectangular shape which may be provided with scalloped edges 11 and decoratively stitched as at 12 to form a border, the cushion being, stuffedwith a suitable soft filling 13.

Superimposed upon the base 10 is a gem supporting clip generally represented by the numeral 14 and preferably formed of silver or other suitable metal. The clip consists of a base block 15, slotted centrally of one edge as at 16, to receive the adjacent ends of a pair of resilient tweezer-like arms 17 which are suitably anchored in the slot 16. The free ends of the arms 17 project forwardly in opposed relation and in the form shown in and 4, are respectively provided on one edge particularly Figures 3 with opposed notches 18 to facilitate their engagement with the bezel of a loose gem G which is held in place under the normal spring tension of the arms 17.

The base block 15 may be secured to the pillow-like background it) by any convenient means such as screwthreaded prongs 19 and complementary nuts 20, the prongs 19 extending through the stufiing 13 of the pillow and being rigidly secured in place by the small nuts 20. It will be understood, however, that I do not intend to limit myself to this particular method of fastening the base block to the pillow, as any suitable means may be employed, the foregoing being merely an example of one form.

The same is true with respect to the gem engaging ends of the arms l7, for the notches 18 may be formed in any shape to facilitate the accommodation of the gems involved. For example, in Figures 5 and 6 I have shown a modified clip having opposed dished portions 18a for engaging a jewel such as a pearl or other article having a rounded surface.

In the preferred form of clip shown in Figures 3 and 4, it is desirable that the notches 18 be cut and flared from the upper edge of the clip arms 17 so as to engage beneath the loose gem and at opposed edges of the bezel, presenting the face of the gem without obstruction.

Alongside the gem clip 14 and preferably at one corner of the pillow-like bed 10, an identification and price card 21 is firmly secured to the base 16. This card bears suitable indicia as to the color, grade, weight and price of the gem displayed and is slidably retained in a silver or other metal frame 22, the latter being fixed to the base 10 in a manner similar to the clip base 15, the three elements 10, 14 and 21 forming a complete unitary structure adapted for the display of various loose gems.

As before indicated, the material of which the display base 10 is composed, is selected for its suitability in the esthetic display of various gems, for example various colored satins, silks, etc. In some instances it may be desirable to simply employ a strip of suitable leather or the like where it is felt that this material is particularly adapted for the display of a special gem.

The base block may be formed in any desired planprofile. In Figures 3 and 5 the block 15 is simply a rectangular plate of silver but in Figure 7 I have shown a block 15a in the form of a heart which is merely one example of an ornamental base block.

It will be apparent that with my improved display de vice the handling of loose gems is greatly facilitated and the eye appeal of the display is materially enhanced. Furthermore, in the actual demonstrations of loose gems, the present invention fills a long felt need in the selection of proper settings. By simply bending the supporting bed 10 downwardly away from the gem G, supported in the arms 17, the gem may readily be placed over various settings under consideration and viewed from all angles by the customer.

I claim:

1. A gem display device including a supporting bed of a material and color selected to enhance the eye appeal of the gem being displayed, a gem clip comprising a metal base, means securely superimposing said base on said bed, a slot in one edge of said base, a pair of resilient gem-engaging arms fixed at one end in said slot and projecting laterally from said base, overlying a portion of said bed, and means at the free ends of said arms for engaging the bezel of a gem.

2. A loose gem display device including a supporting bed, a gem clip superimposed on said bed, means securing said gem clip to said bed, and means on said clip for removably embracing a loose gem and presenting the same in superimposed relation to said bed, said bed being flexible whereby it may be bent downwardly away from an embraced gem and the latter displayed in proximity to a selected setting.

3. A loose gem display device including a supporting bed, a gem engaging member superimposed on said bed and comprising a pair of opposed, resilient arms connected at one end to said bed, opposed, elongated gem engaging notches at the free ends of said arms, formed in and extending longitudinally of the upper edges of respective arms, said notches adapted to removably embrace and partially underlie the bezel of a loose gem in a plane lying parallel with the bezel thereof, said arms and notches lying in planes parallel with that of said bed, whereby a gem held between said notches is displayed parallel with said bed with its upper face substantially unobstructed and with the bed as an immediate background.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 215,626 Jeanne May 20, 1879 886,608 Jersemann May 5, 1908 1,486,629 Buchsbaum Mar. 11, 1924 2,144,336 Katz Jan. 17, 1939 2,410,760 Trachtenberg Nov. 5, 1946 

